GECs
Viacom18, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and BBC Media Action join hands to bring India’s first fiction television series on urban sanitation: ‘Navrangi Re!’
In an industry first, India’s fastest growing media and entertainment company Viacom18, has partnered withthe world’s largest philanthropic organization, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,and development communications specialists, BBC Media Action to create a general entertainment fiction series with an underlying behaviour change message on sanitation.
The 26-episode finite series ‘Navrangi Re!’will launch in January 2019and will go on-air, bi-weekly, over 13 weeks,on Viacom18 network’s Hindi General Entertainment Channel – Rishtey, its regional language channels – COLORS Gujarati and COLORS Odia. The show willbe the first original production on Rishtey and will also be available on the network’s OTT platform VOOT.
A maiden effort for Indian satellite television, this is an initiative to bring real development issues to the masses in an entertaining format –issues that are otherwise packaged in typical research or data reports, which oftentimes do not reach the massaudience.
Speaking about the show, Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO & MD, Viacom18 said: “We at Viacom18 believe in the power of partnerships to effect impact at scale. With ‘Navrangi Re!’, we are creating a platform that aptly uses the medium of entertainment to bring in mass behaviour change.” Explaining Viacom18’s partnership with the project, he further added, “Sanitation has been a cause that we are closely associated with, whether through our sustainability project ‘Chakachak Mumbai’ or our film ‘Toilet: EkPrem Katha’. We hope to engage our audiences with powerful storytelling and intend to bring forth the importance of faecal sludge management to keep Bharat Swachh.”
‘Navrangi Re!’ is a drama series that tells a powerful story to address an urgent issue faced by urban India. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has funded BBC Media Action to create and develop ‘Navrangi Re!’. The show is being produced by Swastik Productions.
Madhu Krishna, India Country Lead, WSH, Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation, talks about this relationship, “We are very excited about working with Viacom18 and BBC Media Action on ‘Navrangi Re!’. In our mission to inspire people to take action to change the world, we partner with government, non-profits, academic institutions, and private sector. However, this is the first time that Gates Foundation has partnered with a satellite television network in India. ‘Navrangi Re!’ is an innovative approach to engage TV viewing audiences, digital citizens and social media users on sanitation issues.”
‘Navrangi Re!’ is the story of a congested mohalla (a neighbourhood) in a town in Northern India full of real, but quirky and endearing characters. Vishwaas, the hero of this 26-episode television drama series, played by actor Aamir Ali, is a struggling TV journalist who is not able to deliver ‘breaking news’ stories and finds his job on the line. But in this hunt for stories, he discovers the gateway to bring about change for his Mohalla, aided by a few others. It is entertainment all the way usingan ensemble cast made up of thespian actors such as Sushmita Mukherjee, Raju Kher, Vaishnavi Dhanraj and other promising talent.
Speaking about the partnership, RadharaniMitra, Global Creative Advisor, BBC Media Action said: “BBC Media Action has created narrative-based interventionsacross the world, in partnership with public and private sector media networks that deliver a message but still entertain, and bring back viewers week after week. That’s where the power of storytelling and compelling content come in. This partnership takes ‘flush kebaad’ (after flushing) into the space of mainstream media to reach TV viewing audiences.”
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
